terrysoham

The routes are only speculative - unsurprisingly no maps show it. The scarcity of information is not a problem - I will produce a model based on the existing photos of logging in Scotland and bedfordshire Regard

I went on a course held at the HighLodge Activity Centre at Santon Downham near Thetford on Saturday. A mixture of railway enthusiasts, archeologists and historians put their heads together to try to find out the possible route of this known tramway by walking from places where it was known to exist. It was used to transport urgently needed timber from the forests at the end of WW1. We know it was constructed with the help of a men from the Canadian Forestry Corps. I’d like to model this railway in 009. I know that one of the three locos was an 0-4-0 Bagnall. Can anyone supply me with a photo? Is there a rtr model in 009? Regards

The layout’s electrics have been a thorn in our side since its first exhibition outing two years ago. The main issue has been switching the polarity of the frogs on the points. We decided that we needed a means of setting the Seep solenoid on the work bench so that it switched the blades ok and switched the frog polarity correctly. Having got it set up, we want to transfer it to the baseboard without upsetting these settings. We have some ideas but wondered what other modellers have done? Any ideas welcome.

It was bloody brilliant. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Who would have thought that railway modelling could give rise to a villain (poor Barry made out to be a real bighead by some editing) and a hero (the leader of the Strangers on a train crew). As a railway modelller I am really proud of them all - producing 45 - 50 minutes of entertaining prime time television is no bad achievement.

Can we just get things straight, PanelPro and DecoderPro are free but they do ask for a donation. If you make a donation, you are helping to get things done just that little bit sooner. If everybody in the Uk who uses this software made a donation of £10.00 it would add considerably to JMRI’s coffers so they could pay someone to write software instead of relying on volunteers. Making a donation is easy to do.

Neil, it’s disappointing that the back scene has suffered from the damp. Perhaps, one of the Thursday crew will have to learn how to paint a suitable back scene or organise a competition amongst the club’s membership. It is a talent which we need to develop n the club. I wonder whether any readers of your blog could offer some advice.

Neely before the new station buildings and the catenary posts

Thank you for your kind words. I have very much enjoyed doing the 25 set sequences that were developed for the exhibition circuit in the privacy of my own home with no pressure just for my own pleasure. Anybody who has had a stroke will know that a big problem is the scary nature of the recovery as a result of loss of confidence. My advice is rely on your mates, let them do the work that you misguidedly thought only you could do. Here are a few things that I have done during my recovery. Firstly photos of the revamped island platform canopy and waiting room/cafe. Secondly some trees using copper aerial wire to make the armatures and clump foliage super glued to the branches.

I have previously been concerned that the introduction of MERG point direction indicators and the combination of PanelPro sensors resulted in the spurious firing of points in the storage area. So I removed the sensrs from PanelPro which I believe has cured the problem. I have also decided to run a mix of sound decoder fitted stock and non-sound decoder fitted stock. After my stroke, I found that I couldn’t control the sound fitted ones which came with inertia. I wanted to be able to stop sound fitted stock on the proverbial sixpence and I found that I couldn’t due to the inertia. After several months I hope to commence the exhibition circuit again in 2019 with one day shows at Letchworth, Chelmsford and Ipswich. Hope to see you there.

Your close-up shot of the coaling stage shows all of the imperfections in my Modelling. The stonework paint colour needs toning down - trouble is how?

You can tell what I feel about sound on my layout. I have a Dapol class 68, two GF class 66s and a GF class 70 all fitted with sound decoders FOR SALE.

For all of you who came to this exhibition to see Neely. I had to cancel due to the after affects of my serious stroke which happened in January. It has left me with depression and anxiety issues for which I am taking medication. If this works, I hope to feel well enough to take Neely to TINGS regards Terry Metcalfe

The Government, of whatever colour, decided in their wisdom that the UK's future lay with the finance and non-manufacturing "industry". Might be worth asking how many politicians are in finance rather than engineering. I'm not sure myself, but the answer could be very revealing. On another topic I would also like to know why every technician, including the boiler repair man and the man who writes software, now feels the need to call himself an "engineer".

Just bought a safety ruler having seen Tony Wright's article in this edition. Just what I need as I am on blood thinning tablets for my stroke and I can't afford to cut myself. Thank you Tony for your timely reminder

Advice received from PocketMags Customer Service. Now sorted by deleting the app and reinstalling it and then restoring my copies.

I hsve just paid £19.99 for a 6month digitsl subscription via I tunes. Can't download the latest copy. I wouldn't mind but this isn't the first time. WILL SOMEONE AT BRM SORT THIS OUT

Having just paid £19.99 for a 6 month digital subscription vie iTunes, i still can't down load the latest copy. Shambolic!!!

Unfortunately after fitting the second sound decoder received from DC Kits, I managed to short out the amplifier! So, I chatted to Charlie of DC Kits who said that it was likely to be a warranty repair job. Damaged decoder now sent back to DC Kits. Awaiting confirmation of its safe arrival from Charlie.

Ran my LegoBiffoman/DC Kits sound decodered Class 365 on Neely today - wonderful! So good that I ordered another ESU sound decoder for the second 365 from DC Kits (with Charlie's help to ensure that I ordered the right one). I will have to try to fit this one myself as Mick Moignard fitted the first one for me at the Missenden Modeller's Weekend.

I am attending yet another Missenden modellers' weekend - my first after my stroke. I am having a great time with lots of help from fellow modellers. My special thanks to Mick Moignard, the tutor on the sound decoder course who has fitted my ESU sound decoder and speaker from Legobiffoman to my Class 365 emu. This emu wll have its first outing at the Cambridge model railway club's 2018 exhibition, 14 April. I also want to thank Alan Edgar who, incidentally, is Cambidge MRC's exhibition manager for kindly giving me a lift to and from Missenden. The railway modellers who attend Missenden really are a close knit and friendly community who have looked after me so well, My thanks also to David and Chris and Pete who have also contibuted so much to enhancing my weekend. I am grateful to you all. Regards

Geoff Marshall is our rock fomations man. He used the rock moulds from Woodland Scenics to produce excellent results. They are so good they put the other scenic effects in the shade

Thank you for your guidance. So, using IPA (which I have used previously) is ok then? Kind regards

There is an interesting article in this month's MRH on-line magazine in which the author suggests that we should use non-polar solvents for cleaning track and metal wheels. Are there any chemists here who could point me in the direction of a readily available source/product please? Apparently IPA is a polar solvent and is NOT a suitable track/wheel cleaner

The new station building for Neely

I think that some of you are aware that I suffered a stroke three weeks ago. It has been a bit of a struggle not helped by having to fight iTunes all the way to renew a subscription to both BRM and Model Rail. Apple has tried to explain how to sort it out using Manage Subscriptions - the email explanation covers a sheet of A4 . And, of course they explain, it is my fault that I have buggered it up - nothing at all to do with their crap software. Believe it or not the first instruction is to download their new operating system! Finally, without going through the Apple instructions, I have managed to get both magazines onto my iPad. Of course it goes without saying that my digital edition of the Railway Modeller downloads without any problems- I suspect because RM has avoided dealing with iTunes. Is there a lesson here that other publishers could take note of?